A Norwegian newspaper reported Wednesday that officials at Ringerike prison near Oslo have discontinued yoga classes after finding that they appeared to make the inmates more agitated and aggressive, not more relaxed as had been hoped.
The classes, which feature meditation and breathing exercises and probably a bunch of goofy and irritating positions, were started earlier this year on a trial basis. The warden, Sigbjoern Hagen, said he had stopped the program after finding that some inmates actually became more aggressive after taking the classes, while others developed sleeping problems.
Ringerike prison was described as holding “Norway’s most dangerous criminals.” I don’t know how dangerous “Norway’s most dangerous criminals” can really be, but apparently yoga makes them more dangerous.